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What makes a player "hardcore"

Let me preface this topic by saying that I don't enjoy the term "hardcore". It has a sort of stigma too it that I'm not happy to apply. However, it is the easiest way to refer to those dedicated players.

Personally, I spend a lot of time reading up on games, researching games, and writing about them. These days I seem to be spending less time gaming, but anyone who has a conversation with me about games can attest that I am very serious about them. I'm wondering however, what makes a player "hardcore" in the personal opinions of you dear RPS readers.

Depends on the genre. For the most part though I think a high number of hours played per day/week defines it. So basically, a hardcore gamer is someone who spends a lot of time playing games and is completely unrelated to their skill level.

Ya, but you can spend 20-40 hours a week on WoW and still only ever play casually. I think it has to take more than amount of time spent; sure, you need to spend a good amount of time on the game to be considered hardcore, but at the end of the day that's more a result of being hardcore than the cause of it. To me, a hardcore player is defined more by their level of dedication to the game. A hardcore player not only plays the game, they also have deep knowledge of it. They could spend as much time on forums and wikis for the game as they do actually playing it. Another factor is the drive to improve. If you just sit down and play a game because it's fun, then leave, you're not hardcore. A hardcore gamer plays not only for the enjoyment of the game, but also to become better at the game. It's not about whether they're highly skilled, but more that they have a drive to become more skilled.

Basically, for me a hardcore player is anyone who is dedicated to being the best they can be at the game.

Depends on the genre. For the most part though I think a high number of hours played per day/week defines it. So basically, a hardcore gamer is someone who spends a lot of time playing games and is completely unrelated to their skill level.

That was my first thought, but then again I personally have played about 16 hours of games in the last 2 weeks according to Steam. That's of course not counting the time I play on handhelds, other consoles and mobile games. Even looking at my raptr playtime stats you'll see I generally play games for an hour or less at a time.

On the other hand, I've put significant time into almost every genre, spent an irresponsible amount of money on games, write and talk constantly about games, check tons of news sites and bother making posts about it on game forums. At one point I was even making games as well.

Basically, for me a hardcore player is anyone who is dedicated to being the best they can be at the game.

Yeah, and this "being the best" can be beyond imagination of casual gamers like me. I have friends who are very dedicated to the MMOs they play, and they do a lot research on the games they are playing. And when I say researches, those are really researches...... papers! Just like those academic papers you would come across in a college library. They keeps box files of handwritten or photocopies notes on their studies of the games. I dont understand those notes a bit, and they are guarded as if they are top-class national security. I was allowed to have a look, maybe just because I am unlikely to join the game, not a potential competitor. Anyway, I dont understand a word in those papers.

I always wonder, what can they achieve in the real society if they devote that same amount of effort in their career.

If you think you're hardcore, you are. If anyone else thinks you are hardcore, then you are. Do these conditions make you happy? Then do what makes you happy.

It's a meaningless term, with little practical application except to exclude anyone one chooses on largely arbitrary grounds. My goodness you lot like to spend an ungodly amount of time arguing over the definitions of terms with loose subjective meanings.

OK, time for this curmudgeon to go to bed before I start yelling about the kids on my lawn.

That's not entirely fair though; there's probably good overlap on ragers and hardcore players, but I think you can be "l33t" and rage at "n00bs" without being hardcore, and similarly you can be hardcore yet very pleasant. Honestly, I think that players who rage probably don't generally count as hardcore, because if you constantly blame your team then you won't ever look at yourself and figure out how to improve.

There are two definitions. There are Hardcore gamers who are basically big video game fans who have lots of experience and know a lot about the topic. These are different from the people who play CoD with their mates after drinking but don't rally care about anything deeper.

Then, within hardcore gamers (which everyone reading this would be) there is a hardcore of morons who have too much money/time and measure their self worth purely by their gaming skill/knowledge. We tend to try to ignore those guys as much as possible. Don't worry, they'll grow out of it.

There are two definitions. There are Hardcore gamers who are basically big video game fans who have lots of experience and know a lot about the topic. These are different from the people who play CoD with their mates after drinking but don't rally care about anything deeper.

Then, within hardcore gamers (which everyone reading this would be) there is a hardcore of morons who have too much money/time and measure their self worth purely by their gaming skill/knowledge. We tend to try to ignore those guys as much as possible. Don't worry, they'll grow out of it.

I'm sure that all those professionals who make a living playing games will just "grow out of it" eventually. Seriously, all the hate that "hardcore" gamers receive is a bit annoying. And claiming that someone who does care more than you about their skill in games measures their self-worth purely by it is kind of ridiculous. You can care about something without it being the defining feature of your life. It's like the classic tactic where anyone with fewer achievements than you is a noob but anyone with more clearly has no life.

how concerned you are with other people thinking you're hardcore, i imagine..

No caring what others think is totally softcore

oh, and how often you use "qq" and the term "carebear".

qq is not part of my volcabulary, but i use carebear to describe players who popularise/facilitate 'rules' which are contrary to the games structure "No rush 60 minutes".especially in persistent games, I am often within this category myself.

Originally Posted by Nalano

The most aggressive players I've come across are the ones that call themselves 'carebears.'

Wait!

Originally Posted by Nalano

A noob is somebody who, despite a great deal of experience in the game, fails to gain any skill in it.

Ooh, i like that one, but there is not always a competitor. Its the nature of the deconstruction thats key, not competition. Look at Wizardry, his CRPG's do not include anyone else, yet his knowledge of their minutia is clear.

qq is not part of my volcabulary, but i use carebear to describe players who popularise/facilitate 'rules' which are contrary to the games structure "No rush 60 minutes".especially in persistent games, I am often within this category myself.

Wait!

Ooh, i like that one, but there is not always a competitor. Its the nature of the deconstruction thats key, not competition. Look at Wizardry, his CRPG's do not include anyone else, yet his knowledge of their minutia is clear.

There is always competition though, even in a SP game. There are things like speed runs or finding the best builds/party comps, and other such business.